Tropical Storm Cristobal is forecast to become a hurricane later in the week but continue to stay off the U.S. East Coast. / National Hurricane Center

by Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

by Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

Tropical Storm Cristobal formed early Sunday morning near the Bahamas, the National Hurricane Center reports.

The storm is expected to eventually become a hurricane and impact the Atlantic beaches of the United States this week, AccuWeather meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski reports.

As of 11 a.m. ET, the storm had winds of 45 mph and was moving north-northwest at 7 mph.

A tropical storm warning has been issued for the Turks and Caicos and for the southeast and central Bahamas, with forecasters saying it could bring up to 8 inches of rain.

Cristobal is currently forecast to remain offshore, it is possible though that the tropical system tracks a bit closer to land, grazing the beaches with its outermost rain and wind, AccuWeather predicts.

Cristobal is the third named tropical system in the Atlantic so far this season, following Hurricanes Arthur and Bertha.

In the eastern Pacific, powerful Hurricane Marie, a Category 4 storm, continues to spin far out in the Pacific. Though it will not hit land, swells from the storm could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions in western Mexico, the hurricane center warned.